U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Vermont

United States Courthouse and Federal Building
Post Office Box 570 (802) 951-6725
Burlington, Vermont 05402-0570 Fax: (802) 951-6540

PRESS RELEASE

BURLINGTON, VERMONT December 2, 2008

NEW JERSEY MAN SENTENCED FOR
OXYCONTIN DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Eric Meladze, 29, of Springfield, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday by the Chief U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions, III, to 57 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute Oxycontin. After serving his prison sentence, Meladze will be on Federal Supervised Release for three years.

Court records showed that Eric Meladze was first stopped at the Burlington, Vermont airport on January 13, 2007, in possession of over $37,000 in United States currency. The currency was seized but Meladze was released. On May 4, 2007, Meladze was arrested along with Joseph Nelson Farrell, 26, a Burlington resident, in South Burlington in possession of over 400 Oxycontin tablets and over $16,000 in currency. A federal grand jury thereafter indicted Eric Meladze, his brother George Meladze, 26, also of New Jersey, and Farrell on Oxycontin trafficking charges, which it alleged started in 2002 and lasted until May, 2007. (Eric Meladze’s participation lasted only for about one year.) Farrell and George Meladze have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Gelber. Eric Meladze was represented by Ian Carleton, Esq. Farrel is represented by Paul Volk, Esq. George Meladze is represented by Nancy Waples, Esq.